How to use Object Data Source in Report Designer

[Don]

I've used the designer with SQL and that works fine but I need to use a business object as a data source. I see under the Data tab the Object Data Source but Available data source types is empty (not surprisingly). How can I tell the designer where to find my objects?

Thanks,
Don Rule
http://tranlslationalsoftware.com

OK, I think that I have found a section of the config file but still not able to see 

<Telerik.Reporting>
<AssemblyReferences>
<add name="C:\PortalApp\ReportLibrary\bin\Debug\ReportLibrary.dll" version="1.0.0.0" />
      <add name="C:\PortalApp\ReportLibrary\bin\Debug\CdssModels.dll" version="1.0.0.0" />
      <add name="C:\PortalApp\ReportLibrary\bin\Debug\Utilities.dll" version="1.0.0.0" />
</AssemblyReferences>
</Telerik.Reporting>

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

In the assembly references only the name should be specified(without .dll and pathToDll). E.g.
<Telerik.Reporting>
<AssemblyReferences>
<add name="MyCustomDllName" version="1.0.0.0" />
</AssemblyReferences>
</Telerik.Reporting>

The path should be defined in the probing element:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/823z9h8w.aspx
You can't use absolute paths. The path should be relative to the current one.E.g.
<runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <probing privatePath="bin;bin2\subbin;bin"/>
.....
<runtime>

[Don]

Thank you, in the end I found it was easier to format the assemblyrefrences correctly and then create a build event in my project that pushes my custom dlls to the executable directory.

Proper format:

<Telerik.Reporting>
    <AssemblyReferences>
        <add name="ReportLibrary" version="1.0.0.0" />
        <add name="CdssModels" version="1.0.0.0" />
        <add name="Utilities" version="1.0.0.0" />
    </AssemblyReferences>
</Telerik.Reporting>

Directory to place the dlls:
 C:\Program Files (x86)\Telerik\Reporting Q1 2013\Report Designer

  

[Jason]

Stumped by the same thing here a couple years later - want to get my business objects to be available as data source in the stand-alone report viewer. I'm able to get it to work in the Visual Studio-integrated designer. I tried moving my main DLL's into "C:\Program Files (x86)\Telerik\Reporting Q3 2015\Report Designer" and changed "Telerik.ReportDesigner.exe.config" (and the x86 counter-part, just to be sure) to add the following:

<!-- Add assembly references -->
<Telerik.Reporting>
    <AssemblyReferences>
        <add name="Airborne.Infrastructure.dll" version="1.0.0.0" />
        <add name="Airborne.Invoicing.dll" version="1.0.0.0" />
    </AssemblyReferences>
</Telerik.Reporting>

and the stand-alone report designer still shows no choices available in "Choose a Business Object" > "Available data source types". Seems like I should have to option to browse the file system to select a DLL from this window. What am I missing?

[Stef]

Hello Jason,

Please test to remove the ".dll" part from the assemblies registration and restart the Standalone Report Designer. Note that the assemblies must be loaded in the corresponding by platform version of the Standalone Designer tool.

More details are available in the tutorials linked at the bottom of the Extending Report Designer help article.

Regards,
Stef
Telerik

[Jason]

Thanks, Stef. I did find the error a couple hours after posting the question. Are there any plans to improve the user experience with this? Having to edit a .config file by hand to get business objects working in the stand-alone report designer, and then having to manually turn on error logging in that file, and then parse through these errors to diagnose the issue, made for a very terrible first-experience with Telerik Reporting for me.

[Jason]

Quick follow-up: added this feature request.

http://feedback.telerik.com/Project/162/Feedback/Details/178115-better-experience-using-business-objects-in-the-stand-alone-report-view

 

[Stef]

Hi Jason,

Thank you for this feedback.

In general, any modifications in the Standalone Designer tool's configuration file should be handled manually. If an external assembly is not declared as expected by the tool, there is a first chance exception which is written in the log file after enabling the system.diagnostics section.


We will discuss the possible improvements, where note that features are considered for implementation based on the demand for them.

Regards,
Stef
Telerik

[Jason]

Stef - some feedback on your response: I am aware of how it works. I've worked on several .NET projects that had to scan assemblies and/or load assemblies dynamically. I'm confused about why you would have thought it was helpful to explain it to me. It actually has made me feel more frustrated and unheard.

Your response felt defensive, and like a brush-off. Just a little empathy would have turned this into a positive experience rather than one where I feel resentful about having to use your product, even given the fact that I well understand: improving the experience of using business objects with the stand-alone report designer is a pretty niche thing, and the team probably has hundreds of other cool stuff on their plate that will help a lot more people out, so that's cool -- I get it.

Just letting you know how your response made me feel. Hey -- weekend is almost here, the new Star Wars movie is upon us, fun holidays are almost here -- I truly hope you have a good rest of the day and a good weekend, Stef. I feel better now, too. :)

[Stef]

Hi Jason,

You are right. My response is a statement that settings must be applied manually (something you already know, but I thought it will be reasonable to confirm for anyone concerned).

After a discussion with our development team, the main concern regarding  the Standalone Designer is that external assemblies should be distributed along with the designer. Also external assemblies may depend on other assemblies, and all of them must be copied relatively to the tool's exe. If these additional assemblies depend on Telerik Reporting or other product used by the Standalone Designer, there will be required binding redirects.
Having into account the the required settings, it is recommended the settings to be applied by a power user having a knowledge of the content of the external assembly.


The above lines only describe our concerns for not having such feature. We understand the need for having easier access to configuration settings of Report Designers, and we will appreciate it if you log a feature request describing the use case and the expected result (to what extend the UI should cover the customization of the Standalone Report Designer e.g. write only settings or handle assemblies as well).

Thank you for your cooperation :)

Regards,
Stef
Telerik